Price right: Tips on hiring plumbers

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Kevin Brasler, executive editor at Checkbook.org, says when you make the call, be sure to describe the problem in as much detail as possible.

"That way, they'll know which plumber has the proper expertise to deal with your problem; they'll bring the right tools, the right equipment."

You won't know how much the job will cost until the plumber gets there, but you should know how much the company charges to show up and diagnose the problem.

"Some plumbers charge well over $150 just to show up and that doesn't include anything. It's just them showing up."

Brasler says when the plumber arrives, go over those charges.

"That way the plumber knows you know how things are supposed to work, there's no miscommunication there at all."

If you're hiring a plumber for installation or remodeling work, get several bids and get a fixed-price contract. Checkbook found that the cost to install a toilet supplied by the customer ranged from $80 to $444.